COAL MINING.

Timaru Herald, Volume CVIII, Issue 16883, 2 August 1919, Page 2

COAL MINING.

MINERS .AND OWNEKS

MEET IX CONFERENCE. WELLINGTON, Any. 1. ■Continuing the discussion at the , toiifei-Finco (vide page 3). — ' Mr Ai buckle asked' il Mr Alison could name any mine in which tho tidily aierage,'\\.agQ wis as high as £1 us to £1 10s. The average was only 2-is 7d, and that was per working daj. The miners ot New Zealand had produced a -world's record output', and for tins they received the handsome wage of £3 15s a week. The cosit of hewing Coal -was abont 3s 2d per ton. If a miner produced only half that amount Under the wage system the cost would he increased only 3s 2d per ton. Mr Roberts said he was at* loss to know how Mr Alison arrived aib his marvellous' figures. Wli.it was'being asked now was reasonable and fair.' Mr Toseland said the serious shortage of ODal was due to the shortage of m" tiers, and more men would leava the industry unless the conditions were improved. ,v v. ' Mr O'Brien said they'asked the public to take into consideration that out of the £3 10s a ton they, were paying for coal, tile miner received '2s 6d for 1 ewing it, and the truokpr.got a" penny a ton-for tiucking it per' chain. Ho was sure tha.!> if a minimum, wage were instituted the,effect would-be beneficial. Reduction of houis was '. nt-cessarv on account of the ,unnaturaluess of the oc'Mination. ' Mr Alison 1 said thejminers Lad received a greafc deal morp- than 2s Gd per Ic-n for fretting'coal. owners had no iwy _lcss-than_a fair wr.pe to miners: 1 . The-conditions hi New Zealand mines Vere exceptionally pood. Th°ie was alvo'uto'y no comparison posb'We between Great Britain, where the s.eams were smfiU-.- and "~N»v Zealand,' ■hirli pjv>it mines here.. . The, Hon. Mr-M-icDonald remarked nn the '*serious"position" in "New Zeaiand, and said 'industries must suffer if the C Qnr>pision«; fiven.

Tlic meeting adjonrned t'ill to-morrow